Micah Sykes Pleads Not Guilty in Jubilant Sykes Murder Case

Micah Sykes was arrested for allegedly stabbing his father, celebrated gospel singer Jubilant Sykes, in their Santa Monica home in December last year. This week, there was an update on the legal front.

Not-Guilty Plea

People reported on Thursday that Micah Sykes pleaded not guilty to the murder of his father. He “entered the not-guilty plea during his arraignment on Thursday,” according to a press release.

The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office noted that the son of the “Grammy-nominated opera singer” was charged with “one felony count of murder with a special allegation that the defendant used a deadly weapon in the commission of the crime.”

The Severity of the Charges

Prosecutors are also pursuing an allegation that the victim was over the age of 60, which could increase the seriousness of the case if proven.

The official notice also reminded readers that allegedly, Micah Sykes caused the death by “using a dagger, garden shears and barbell.”

What seems very difficult for readers is that Micah’s mom, Cecelia Sykes, the wife of Jubilant, called emergency services, but they were unable to help her husband.

Previous Reporting

Other news about the celebrity death came from Canyon News in June. The outlet reported that “Micah Sykes is in jail without bail because he has schizophrenia, but was not taking the medication his doctor prescribed when he was arrested.”

Previously, a restraining order was granted after allegations that Micah had behaved violently toward members of his family. The allegations came when Sarah Bennett claimed Micah had obsessed over her, allegedly declaring he loved her. But she didn’t want a relationship.

That led to a confrontation between Micah and a friend named Jason Lee. The petition said, “he has been violent with his own family members…If he is able to hurt his own family members, how much more towards people who aren’t related to him?”

Next Court Date

The next court date for Micah was set for September 2. It won’t be the start of an actual trial, but will determine whether there is enough evidence to proceed to trial. 

Given the reported mental health issues, it’s likely the defense team will address that during the proceedings. 

Viewers React

When KTLA5 reported on the not-guilty plea on YouTube, the true crime followers weighed in with their thoughts. In their report, the host discussed the autopsy, which described at least 73 wounds.

As one viewer noted, it could be assumed that the defendant was “really angry” about something.

Another person lamented the fact that so often these crimes happen in families. They wrote, “The most grisly of all crimes is when the victim and killer are related!”

Your thoughts? Join the discussion and come back here for more celebrity justice news and updates.